A BANDON woman caught with cannabis after her friends persuaded her to buy a large amount has received the benefit of the Probation Act after appealing her conviction for selling drugs.
Anika Burke of 20 Deerpark, Bandon appeared at the recent circuit court appeals sittings at Bandon Court to appeal a six-month suspended sentence, which she had received at Bandon District Court.
Defence solicitor Eamonn Fleming told Judge Dara Hayes that his client was just 19 years of age at the time of the offence in 2020.
‘She had been in YouthReach at the time and was easily led. Her friends persuaded her to buy cannabis. She paid €600 for it, which had a street value of €1,000,’ said Mr Fleming.
He said that probation reports into his client have been very positive and the latest one adds to the earlier reports and she had been placed in bond for the past two years.
‘She has no previous convictions and is now working in the restaurant industry in Crete. She has learned a very salutary lesson and she will have the character of a drug dealer with her for this conviction.’
Mr Fleming asked if the court could spare his client a conviction.
Judge Hayes said he normally would be reluctant to do that when it comes to sale or supply but he noted the circumstances including her young age and the fact that she has been under the supervision of the probation services for the past two years.
He also noted she hasn’t come to the attention of gardaí since and he applied the Probation Act in relation to the possession of cannabis for sale or supply.
